George oliver



a. OLWE'R.

and Other Performances. Patented Oct.119,1880.

(No Model.)

Apparatus for Use in Theatrical INVE'NTQB:

ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES:

N. PETERS, PHDTO-LITHDGRAFH. WASHINGTON. D. 84

"rA'ras ATENT saron GEORGE OLIVER, OF THE CITY ROAD, COUNTY OFMIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR USE lN THEATRlCAL AND OTHER PERFORMANCES SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 233,540, dated October 19, 1880.Application filedJnne 19,.1880. (No model.) Patented in EnglandSeptember 25,1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that l, GEORGE OLIVER, of the City Road, in the county ofMiddlesex, England, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for usein Gymnastic and other Performances, (Oase B and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Myinvention relates to apparatus for usein gymnastic and otherperformances and exercises.

In an application for a patent marked Case A, and filed of evendateherewith, I described an apparatus for suddenly raising a performerto a considerable height from the stage, the ap paratus consisting,mainly, of an assemblage of vertical springs arranged overhead, theperformer being connected thereto by a fine wire or rope.

The object of my present invention is to render the apparatus availablefor use in theaters or other buildings where there is not sufficientheight to admit of the springs being placed in a vertical position, asdescribed in another application. With this object the cross-head towhich the springs are attached at one end is fitted to move alonghorizontal or inclined guides in a frame or box, the other ends of thesprings being attached either to the end of the frame or to a secondmovable cross-head sliding between the said guides, for

apparatus being quickly turned on its pivot in the required directionand connected to the wire which passes over the pulley that isimmediately above the performer.

In order to more easily effect the withdrawal of the bolt by which thesprings are held distended, I connect the bolt to. a hand-lever suitablyarranged.

When it is required to use the apparatus several times in quicksuccession, I provide a winch, pulley, or other means of distending allthe springs at once instead of separately, as described in my formerpatent. in this case thesprings will be permanently attached to thecross-head, and both cross-heads will move in the guides, the winchbeing preferably attached to the rear cross-head.

Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, of my improved arrangementof apparatus.

a are the india-rubber springs, attached by hooks at one end to across-head, 1), moving along guides 0, forming part of the frame of theapparatus, and at the other end to a stationary cross-head, d, fixed tothe end of the frame. The frame is fixed or supported in the horizontalposition shown (or at any convenient angle) on a suitable platform at aproper height above the stage. It may either be a fixture, or, which ismost convenient if it is desired to raise the performer from differentplaces on the stage, the frame maybe mounted to turn on a central pivot,f.

g is the wire rope by which the performer is raised. It is attached toan eye in a bolt, 1), fixed to a cross-head, I), and passes over apulley, h, mounted on the platform. This wire descends to the stage, andto its other end the performer is attached by means of the harness andconnections described in my other application.

With an apparatus movable about a pivot for a center a number ofpulleys, it, would be used, disposed in different positions, each pulleybeing placed radially t0 the said pivot, so that by moving the springapparatus round to the different pulleys, and successively attaching thewires g, passing over the difierent pulleys, the performer may be raisedin different places.

The springs are kept distended by a bolt, t, passing through an eye inb, the said bolt being fitted to slide in staples attached to the endframe, as shown. The bolt 'i is jointed at z" to a hand-lever, 70,working on a pivot at 70, by means of which the bolt may be instantlywithdrawn when the signal is given.

I, Fig. 3, is a drum or pulley operated by a winch-handle, m, throughgear a 0. This drum is mounted in a bracket at the rear end of the frameof the apparatus, (or at the other end, if preferred.) In this case, thecross-head d is also movable between the guides c, and is connected by arope to the drum Z.

In order to distend the springs, the crosshead bis first secured by itsbolt 1, and the cross-head cl is drawn back by the winch and similarlysecured by a bolt, 1?.

wis a latch for holding the spring apparatus in line with pulley h.

Instead of locating the spring apparatus overhead it might be placed onor beneath the stage, and a wire connected to part I) led up oversuitable pulleys and attached overhead to the wires 9 of pulleys h; butthis arrangement is less advantageous.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The framecarrying the guides in which the spring apparatus works, mounted to turnhorizontally upon a pivot, to operate in combination with a number ofwires, g, and pulleys h, disposed around the same, substantially as 'andfor the purpose set forth.

able cross-head, substantially as shown and I described.

3. The combination of the horizontal frame carrying horizontal andparallel springs to and the cross-head I), the rope g, and the pulley h,as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of bolt 17, hand-lever 7c, guide-frame c c,cross-head having eye I), and the attached rope g, as shown anddescribed.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 28th day ofMay, 1880.

GEORGE OLIVER.

Witnesses WM. CLARK,

53 Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.

T. W. KENNARD,

Clerk, 53 Chancery Lane.

